postpartum planning

It’s that time of year… time to become bears and hibernate until it is warm again. No? Okay so maybe we cannot hibernate but we can stay warm. We of course know what it takes to keep us toasty and comfortable but a baby may be a little bit more difficult. No worries, check out these tips!

IN THE CAR:
Coats in carseats are dangerous, it greatly increases the babies risk of injury in an accident, but there are other ways to keep your little one warm. Dress you baby in thin layers and tuck a blanket around them once they are correctly secured into their seats. On cold days a fleece sleeper can be used for extra warmth. For more information on winter and car seat safety guidelines from the AAP

OUTDOORS:
If out and about in the frosty a good rule of thumb is to add an extra layer to what makes you comfortable (reasonably, maybe more if you are a polar bear.) If playing in the snow, ensure you add a waterproof snowsuit with attached feet.
Also, stay aware and watch for signs of discomfort and cold, such as tear filled eyes ( not necessarily crying), shivering, or cold skin. It’s okay if you need to cut your outdoor time short in order to warm up!HOME:
The extra layer rule is also good here. Even though you maybe tempted to bundle baby up, remember the “ideal” temperature is 68-72* F. You can always check by placing your hand on babies tummy or back, they should be warm but not sweaty. Keeping your baby from overheating and using a zip style sleeping sack or a footed sleeper, rather than blankets which can cover baby’s face, are a few of the suggestions made by American Pediatric Associations for the prevention of SIDS.Hopefully these tips will help you and baby enjoy the upcoming winter and holiday season.

Preparing for a new member of the family we get asked all the time, what is the number one thing you suggest we do now? We always respond with a quick… MEAL PREP!

Meal prep is perfect for quick dinners with a little prep work, you can save time later and still have an amazing meal with minimal effort. This round of recipes are all quick freezer ready meals for the crockpot, casseroles in the oven, and one pot meals. Easy for those who also want to make something for a friend as the best postpartum gift you can give!

Teaming up with local food blogger Ashley Lecker of Cheese Curd in Paradise for some of her favorite and easy meal prep ideas. If you love these ideas, she does regular meal planning on her blog, giveaways, and I have to say I’ve never had a bad meal when she’s suggested it. Ashley has been featured in Taste of Home, Wisconsin CSA, Festival Foods, Reader’s digest, featured in various sponsor recipes for national brands and her blog has 25,000 views monthly. Enjoy these 5 simple recipes and stay tuned for more meal prep ideas!

CROCKPOT

Tex-Mex Chicken–

Instructions

Place chicken breasts in the slow cooker and sprinkle taco seasoning over the top. Layer the other ingredients evenly over the chicken, except the cream cheese.

Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8 hours.

Remove chicken from slow cooker, shred and return to slow cooker. Add cream cheese, stir, cover and continue to cook on high for 30 minutes. Stir well and over rice with desired toppings.

Freezer modification: Place all ingredients in a freezer-safe zip lock. When you are ready to make it, thaw and follow preparation directions.

Pesto Ranch Chicken

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 cup prepared pesto

1 package Ranch Dressing Mix

1/2 cup chicken broth

Instructions

Place chicken breasts into crockpot. Mix pesto, ranch dressing, and chicken broth into crock pot. Stirring gently to combine all seasonings. Cover with the lid and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Tip: Sprinkle some feta on top!

Freezer Modification: Place all ingredients in a ziplock and freeze. To cook, thaw and follow prep directions.

Teriyaki Chicken

Ingredients

2 1/2 lbs chicken breasts

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup soy sauce

½ cup pineapple juice

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp minced fresh ginger

1 medium onion, chopped

Instructions

Place chicken breasts into crockpot. Sprinkle onions evenly over chicken. In a medium bowl mix all other ingredients. Pour over the chicken. Set temperature on low for 6-8 hrs.

Serve with rice.

Freezer Modification: Place all ingredients in a ziplock and freeze. To cook, thaw and follow prep directions.

In a lightly sprayed 9×13-inch pan, place half of the cooked pasta in the bottom of the dish. Spread cream cheese mixture over noodles. Top with remaining noodles. Pour meat sauce over noodles and top with mozzarella cheese.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Freezer Modification: Prepare casserole in a freezer friendly pan with a cover. Thaw before baking and follow baking instructions.

Meatball Sub Casserole

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Cut biscuits into 8 pieces and spread evenly into the baking dish. Pour marinara sauce over the biscuits and stir to evenly coat. Evenly layer meatballs over the biscuits and sauce. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly and biscuits are cooked. Remove from oven, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve.

King Crown Burrito Casserole

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 casserole dish and set aside.

In a large rimmed skillet, brown beef with onions, peppers, and garlic. Drain excess grease. Add corn, beans, and tomatoes. Add seasonings and allow beef mixture to cook for a few minutes. Spread beef into the casserole dish and top evenly with cheese. Arrange tater crowns over the casserole.

Bake 35-40 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Freezer Modification: Prepare casserole in a freezer friendly pan with a cover. Thaw before baking and follow baking instructions.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Tot Casserole

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 casserole dish and set aside.

Mix cream of chicken soup, ranch packet and sour cream. Gently stir in the chicken. Spread chicken mixture evenly into the casserole dish. Top evenly with grated cheese and follow by topping with chopped bacon. Evenly arrange tater tots on top of the casserole.

Bake uncovered in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Freezer Modification: Prepare casserole in a freezer friendly pan with a cover. Thaw before baking and follow baking instructions.

One-Pot

One Pot Chili Mac

Instructions

In a medium to large pot, brown the ground beef. Drain excess grease and add remaining ingredients besides the pasta. Lightly simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the pasta, cover and cook till pasta is tender stirring a few times to avoid sticking while the pasta cooks. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Serve immediately. Top portions with sour cream and grated cheese.

One Pot Chicken Feta Alfredo (source: Plain Chicken)

Instructions

In a large rimmed skillet or medium pot cook the pancetta and drain the fat. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook 15-20 minutes.

One-Pot BLT Tortellini Skillet

Instructions

Place pasta, cream, water and garlic powder into an oven safe skillet. Simmer 8-10 min until the liquid has reduced and thickened.

Add spinach, cheese, 1/2 cup tomatoes and gently stir until cheese melts. Season with salt and pepper (remember you will add bacon at the end so careful with the salt).

Top with remaining cheese and Romano. Broil for 3-5 minutes. Watch the pasta carefully because it will burn easily and you want a nice light brown top.

Remove from oven and top with remaining tomatoes and chopped bacon.

Skillet Sweet and Sour Meatballs with Pineapple (Source: All Recipes)

Instructions

Open pineapple, drain, and juice. Set pineapple aside. Add water to juice if needed so it equals 1 cup; and pour into a large skillet. Add 1/3 cup water, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and cornstarch; whisk until smooth.

Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve with rice.

One Pot Baked Ziti

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a dutch oven or other heavy bottom pot, add the olive oil and cook the beef and sauce till no longer pink. If there is a heavy amount of grease, drain a bit from the pot. Add the garlic and gently stir in the uncooked pasta and marinara sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Add the water and the cream. Stir well. Bring to a slow simmer and cook for 6-7 minutes or until pasta begins to soften. Top with cheeses and cover. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with a crisp green salad and crusty bread.

Also, check out this great article from our friends at Groom & Style, called Awesome Recipes That Freeze Well try these recipes out and let us know which ones were your favorite! If meal prep seems daunting, the postpartum doulas here at Green Bay Doulas are professional preppers! From making the grocery list, getting the items, and assembling them. We can help you get a leg up and fill up that freezer!

If you are a Shameless fan like we are, you saw in the season 7 premiere that Debbie hired a night nurse so she can get some sleep. Typically a night nurse or night nanny is someone who takes care of the baby in the evening so the parents can get some sleep. But, what if I told you there was such a profession where a trained professional came into your house who

1- Was an expert in newborn care,

2- Knew how to support a mother in recovery from childbirth,

AND

3- Took care of the family as a WHOLE!

Enter the Postpartum Doula!

A normal daytime shift (averaging 4-8 hours) can look like a number of things, but is not limited to:

An unbiased ear to listen to concerns

Meal prep

Sibling support

Nap for mother

Self care for mother

Breast/bottle feeding, formula feeding, basic lactation support

Light housework

Extra hands for errands or doctors appointments

Cesarean support

Newborn and baby care

Just to name a few!

And the support of overnights (10 hour shift) while parents rest:

Breastfeeding support

Bottle feeding support

Meal prep

Light housework

Baby care

And sleep for both parents!

What you can expect with a Postpartum Doula? Personalized care! Families often seek support for high needs babies such as colic or silent reflux, special needs, support during teething, transitioning back to work, sleep regressions and sickness, and adjusting to adoption and multiples! The goal of a Postpartum Doula is to support the parenting approach that fits your lifestyle best. Every family’s needs are different which is why we have a postpartum planning session with each family to learn about the family dynamics, feeding style, parenting style and how best to support your family during the first year of a new addition.The beauty of a Postpartum Doula is that they help the family as a whole offering their expertise by lending a hand and helping a family transition into their new roles as parents, siblings and even furbabies!

While postpartum care is typically seen as a luxury item for many families, it’s simply about having a plan and making a budget. You may consider sitting down and discussing a postpartum plan even before your beautiful bundle arrives so that you can be as prepared as possible entering into this new chapter! Everyone plans for the arrival, but what about the weeks and months after your little one is here, Postpartum Doulas are happy to help!

Why make the investment? One of our clients explains it best so we’ll share his quote with you, “My wife is home all day with the baby and when she’s well rested she’s a better mother and wife and that’s what is important to me!” Utilizing a postpartum doula can be different for each family. Whether it’s full time, part time or as needed; we want you to thrive during this time, not just survive.

What Our Clients Are Saying

I have cried so much today and felt like an absolute failure. You’ve already helped me a million times more than I expected via text at 9:30 at night. Honestly, thank you so very much. You’re in the right field and all the mommas out there are lucky to have you. S raves about you and I can see why. Thank you!

April 17, 2018

I cannot even express how happy I am that I found Emily and the Green Bay Doulas in time for my pregnancy and delivery!! They could not have been more enjoyable, wonderful, knowledgeable and caring. Not only were they on top of their game but they became friends.

Emily gave me insight at every corner from being breech to getting me in for maternity photos with the brilliant Kristy Reuter (Kristy Reuter Photography) to having the baby’s heart drop drastically during delivery (while explaining everything to Nick while he was stressed himself), to helping me during sleepless nights to my baby’s lip and tongue being tied to belly binding to placenta encapsulation to baby wearing, everything, everything, everything. She made me feel strong and normal when some things were unnerving and frightening. She was always there for us day and night. And what an amazing personality and sense of humor!!

I think the placenta encapsulation and tincture were such a saving grace. Coincidentally the last day of my placenta capsules was the 1st day back at the office when my baby boy was 14 weeks. They gave me the energy to nurse my baby day and throughout the night and to feel decent and present enough to enjoy my baby and take in all the delightful things about him rather than being exhausted and just going through the motions.

I still recall my baby’s different charming ways each day because from one day to the next he had many new ways about him. I want to remember it all and taking the capsules enabled me to feel energetic and enthused enough to relish it all!!!! Thanks to having this extra boost, I have had some fun even in the middle of the night and embraced motherhood wholeheartedly!

I cannot say enough about The Green Bay Doulas. Emily, Chelsea, and Whitney have been a blessing every step of this journey. They are all incredibly bright, informative, funny, gracious and full of genuinely amazing personality. Most importantly, they will zap any of your stress!!! They all have exceptional credentials. For example, Chelsea is a surgical labor and delivery nurse even!!! My experience is top notch and I even think the services are quite reasonable and affordable for all that you will receive.

The post partum care was of immeasurable benefit. You can book hours to use over a certain time frame to have a doula come to your home day or night so you may sleep, have someone wonderful cook or bake for you, pick up some groceries, share their tried and true techniques, have this professional of babies take care of your child so you may have some much needed time with your husband. They will even do an overnight to feed your baby or, if you’re nursing, change, wake you and swaddle just like in the hospital so you can be your best during the day.

I could not be any happier with The Green Bay Doulas!!

January 9, 2018

"I've called a lot of different doulas and doula agencies and Green Bay Doulas are by far the most accommodating, kind, human. They continue to exceed my expectations. I honestly don't know what we would have done without them."

October 2, 2017

"Doulas supported us before during and after. It was like having another pair of hands to help support my wife. I also think encapsulation is so helpful after birth and it helped our transition with both boys" - Ron, Husband of labor and postpartum client

June 23, 2016

"I want to share an experience I had yesterday. I hired a postpartum doula Sam. (Very reasonable!) I was not sure when or why I would need her but I thought I would give it a shot. She came at 8 am. I was able to take a relaxing bath while she played with my children. I then bathed my kids while she did my overdo dishes. I was then able to tidy up around the house while she ran all my errands and pick up the children's lunch. She helped me get them fed and cleaned up that mess too. All of this with good conversation. This was truly a treat and would recommend it to anyone. I was so far ahead last night I sat down with extra energy wondering what I should be doing. I do have coupons for Sam if anyone is interested. I highly recommend this... It was a weight lifted off my shoulders. Our baby is already 3 months but does not like to be set down so I was at peace knowing I could get a few things done while someone loved her up. Thanks Sam! And Green Bay Doulas!"

Stephanie - Shawano, WIFebruary 24, 2016

"I felt like I had a teammate alongside me. On the nights she was here, she always left with us better then when she arrived. She made the evening hours stress-free and then allowed me to focus on baby while she help to get my home in a great place and my older son entertained"

January 11, 2016

"Thanks for your support and guidance as we figured it all out... nursing was the hardest and most unexpected challenge we faced postpartum and having resources like you was the only way we were able to keep it going to make it work. thank you!"

January 11, 2016

"Postpartum care. Hands down the BEST decision I made with bringing baby #2 home (with a toddler). Emily helped ease the transition of a newborn into the family and gave amazing recommendations on getting my toddler to be an active-helpful-understanding big brother. Not to mention the extra hands helping around the house so I could take 10 minutes to myself!"